Neighbor protection in German administrative and Administrative Procedure Law : construction permits in the Outer Area

Abstract

German construction law on the federal and the state level has a strong bias against construction outside of settlements (in the so called Aussenbereich, the Outer Area) and a preference for the protection of the natural environment. Yet there are some types of construction which are preferred outside of settlements. While local ordinances regulate construction in settled areas, federal law plays a much bigger role in the outer area. In this article the question is asked how Administrative Procedure Law can be utilized to protect the interests of neighbors in the context of planned construction projects in the Outer Area.